The veld gets festive!

He’s an award-winning research botanist at the National Biodiversity Institute in Cape Town and the author of Photo Guide to the Wildflowers of South Africa. John Manning (right) has some tips for making the best of a flower-viewing trip.

Namaqualand is probably the most popular flower-viewing spot in spring. Where else in South Africa would you find beautiful wildflowers? Our country has a wealth of wildflowers – more than 20 000 species have been identified here. And almost half of them are found in the Cape Floral Region in the far southwest, so it’s no wonder Namaqualand is such a popular destination. However, the entire Drakensberg – from Maclear in the south to Tzaneen in the north – is equally blessed with wildflowers. Other spots that are beautiful in spring and late summer are Rhodes in the Eastern Cape, anywhere along the KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg, and the area around Sabie and Graskop in Mpumalanga. Red-hot pokers, agapanthus and bulbs abound. Which are your favourite spots for checking out the flowers in Namaqualand? The most popular flower-viewing places, between Garies and Springbok, are indeed amazing, but I have a fondness for the Roggeveld around Sutherland, which is not well known yet. You see wonderful little flowering bulbs in spring. Nieuwoudtville and Calvinia also never disappoint. When do you find is the best time to view the flowers? Well, the West Coast is usually at its best from August to September, and the Drakensberg from November to March. Many aloes flower in winter, so a visit to the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands and the eastern escarpment is always special then. What are your tips for making the most of a flower-viewing excursion? Be prepared to get out of your car and walk. The photos in tourist guides can be misleading, as the photographer often zooms in on a field of flowers and give the impression that’s what the entire landscape looks like. But the beauty of flowers lies in their unique shapes, colours and smells. Be patient – many Namaqualand flowers only open up in the afternoon or even late afternoon, so a quick early-morning drive usually disappoints. Walk around